Botanical Gardens/Arboreta

The department provides community services and recreational programs through maintaining parks and gardens for the County of Los Angeles. Services include botanical gardens/arboreta and nature centers/walks. There are no geographic restrictions.

The gardens display a wide variety of plants and trees and are open to the public for educational and recreational purposes. The gardens disseminates horticultural information and promotes home gardening, conservation and ecological research. Services available include home demonstration gardens; plant information and guidance, libraries; and educational programs for adults and children. Educational programs include time-limited classes for the amateur gardener which focus on subjects like flower arranging or home landscaping. A tram tour and docent-led group tours are available for people who visit the gardens and for school-age children. In addition, there are special events offered during the year such as flower shows, performances, public lectures and plant sales.

The nature centers/walks provide an opportunity for people to learn about native plants, local history, get informative demonstrations and tours. The centers provide recreational activities such as animal exhibits and presentations, walking and hiking trails and field trips for schools. There are equestrian trails for horseback riding at some nature centers for individuals who own horses.